# Study Circle vs Study Smarter

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Circle at none against Study Smarter's 8. Study Circle also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (47 vs 13). Study Smarter's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Study Smarter sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Study Circle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Study Circle holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 13 respectively.

Study Circle ships an update fortnightly, Study Smarter every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Circle | Study Smarter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919/reviews)** | [4.4 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-smarter/id6472802448/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **47** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 90.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 188 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hikaru Hanada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1619728671) | [nguyen thanh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481436893) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-circle-the-focus-app/id6453023919)

This app helps users boost motivation and make studying enjoyable by connecting them with friends. It offers a focus timer, progress visualization, and a community feature for mutual support and encouragement during study sessions.

**Highlights:** Virtual study circles with friends, Intuitive study timer, Send encouragement and support messages, Visualize study progress with charts, Track daily, weekly, and monthly progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Study Smarter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-smarter/id6472802448)

This science-based app combines the Pomodoro Technique with IQ testing to enhance focus and productivity. It helps users manage study and work time effectively with customizable timers and detailed historical tracking.

**Highlights:** Pomodoro Timer, Customizable timer lengths, IQ Test functionality, Time tracking and history, Task management, Relaxation features

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learning Premium Monthly Plan | $0.99 | per month |
| Three Months VIP | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| Learning Premium HalfYear Plan | $2.99 | per 6 months |
| Learning Premium Annual Plan | $4.99 | per year |
| One Month VIP | $4.99 | per month |
| Six Months VIP | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year VIP | $49.99 | per year |
| No ads Pack | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Circle free?

Study Circle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Study Smarter free?

Study Smarter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Study Circle or Study Smarter?

Study Circle is rated higher. Study Circle averages 4.7 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Study Smarter averages 4.4 from 13 ratings.

### Do Study Circle or Study Smarter have ads?

Both Study Circle and Study Smarter show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Study Circle or Study Smarter?

Study Circle ships an update fortnightly, and Study Smarter every 3 weeks. Most recently, Study Circle was updated on September 23, 2026 and Study Smarter on July 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*